MONEY Athletic Foundation

Adult Division

10 swings -- Paul Russo, 8 points; Keagan Russo, 6;
Jason Peasley, 5; Shawn Hiller, 5; Steve Russo, 4; John Petersdorf, 4; J.D. Rainey, 4; Steve Hiller, 4; Brian Fitzpatrick, 3; Marshall Smith, 3; Matthew Cates, 3; Paul MacDonald, 3; Ben Curll, 2; Paul Leeper, 2; Ted Graffam, 2; John Russo, 2; Nate Moore, 2; Andrew Russo, 1; and Ed Crockett, 1.

Also participating were Rick Johnson, Chelsea Russo, Ian Doherty, Seth Crockett, Jacob Murray, Stephen Goodridge, Karinna Russo, Lowell Jones and Roger Jones.

Last year Judkins won the high school title in a battle with Burke. This was the first year of a middle school division.

ROCKPORT (May 29, 2025): The rain stopped long enough Sunday morning and early afternoon for more than 60 swingers of all ages to step to the plate for the fourth annual Mikail Russo MONEY (More Opportunity for Neighborhood Youth) Athletic Foundation home run derby.

Those batters set their sights on the fences during the popular home run derby on Mazzeo Field at the Rockport Recreation Park. With so many balls flying out of the park, it was no wonder the rain returned late Sunday afternoon.

Wade Oliver of Rockland District High School put on a slugging exhibition to win the high school division championship, while Mykel Callaway of Camden-Rockport Middle School captured the middle school division. Paul Russo, Mikail's dad, belted the most home runs in the adult division.

The contest featured players from Midcoast high school and middle school baseball teams, as well as adults in an open division.

Paul Russo, one of the organizers of the event, said the event grossed bout $6,300. "Which is great because we have a number of pending applications that we hope to act on this week so the kids can make definite plans to attend summer programs," he said.

Raffle prizes included tickets to see the Boston Red Sox with seating in the 406 Club, gift certificates to local shops and restaurants, free rounds of golf, overnight stays at inns and hotels, and live lobsters. In order to be eligible for the derby, players had to have sold at least 10 raffle tickets.

The individual home run champion of each division received a trophy; and the individual selling the most raffle tickets (no less than 20) received four tickets to a Red Sox game this summer.

The team selling the most raffle tickets received 22 tickets to watch the Portland Sea Dogs from the Ted Williams Skybox at Hadlock Field.

The MONEY Athletic Foundation, in honor of Mikail R. Russo, a former student-athlete in School Administrative District 28, uses donations to assist teams, organizations and individuals who show need and work hard to reach their athletic goals. Proceeds from the home run derby will benefit these young athletes.

Last year the MONEY Athletic Foundation awarded more than $12,000 in grants and helped more than 100 student-athletes attend summer camps, participate on travel teams and purchase equipment.

For more information, call 763-2733 or visit moneyathleticfoundation.org. The MONEY Athletic Foundation is a nonprofit organization affiliated with United Mid-Coast Charities.

"We were very happy with all of the local support," Paul Russo said. "We have a dedicated group of adults who support us every year with donations, and by showing up to take their swings. The young people who participated were enthusiastic and supportive of both the MONEY Athletic Foundation, and one another, to the point where it really reaffirms our mission. We were also pleased to get a few of the middle school teams on board this year on a trial basis and are looking forward to building on that. We are discussing ways to get more kids involved in the future such as softball players, and possibly other schools."

The individual home run derby results were:

Middle School Division

First Round (10 swings, top 7 advance) �- Zach Dufour, Hope-Appleton-Lincolnville, 9 points; Chris Watts, Hope-Appleton-Lincolnville, 5 (75 tickets sold); Callaway, Camden-Rockport, 3; Larson Platt, Thomaston, 3; Gordon Fischer, Camden- Rockport, 3; Taylor Gartley, Camden-Rockport, 2; Matthew Shields, Thomaston, 2; Crosby Johnson, Hope-Appleton-Lincolnville, 1; Kiefer Lammi, Camden-Rockport, 1; Michael Crockett, Camden-Rockport, 1; Morgan Baxter, Hope-Appleton-Lincolnville, none; Asa Peats, Camden-Rockport, none; Andrew Baxter, Hope-Appleton-Lincolnville, none; and Joey Nelsen, Rockland, none.

Second Round (10 swings) -- Gartley, 4; Callaway, 4; Watts, 4; Dufour, 2; Platt, 2; Fischer, 2; and Shields, Thomaston, none.

Third Round (5 swings) -- Callaway, 3 (champion); Watts, 2; and Gartley, 1.

High School Division

First round (10 swings, top 10 advance) -- Oliver, Rockland, 20 points (5 balls beyond all three fences); Tom Kennedy, Medomak Valley, 14 (2 beyond all three fences, 98 tickets sold); Andrew Rogers, Camden Hills, 9 (1 beyond all three fences); Michael Cummons, Camden Hills, 9; Chris Mitchell, Medomak Valley, 9; Noah Burke, Camden Hills, 9; Miles Davee, Camden Hills, 8; Matt Judkins, Georges Valley, 8 (1 beyond all three fences); Steve McGuire, Rockland, 7 (1 beyond all three fences); John Coppola, Rockland, 7 (1 beyond all three fences); Nate Ayotte, Medomak Valley, 6; Andy Ferrier, Medomak Valley, 6; Zach Durkee, Medomak Valley, 6; James Merrifield, Medomak Valley, 4; Thomas Woodman, Georges Valley, 4; Logan Rackliff, Georges Valley, 4; Ben Baudanza-Sturks, Rockland, 4; Matt Rector, Camden Hills, 4; Dominick Morrill, Rockland, 2; Jared Simmons, Medomak Valley, 2; Matt Taylor, Medomak Valley, 1; and Jake Hall, Georges Valley, 1.Second Round (10 swings) -- Oliver, 21 Points (4 beyond all three fences); Cummons, 10; Judkins, 9 (1 beyond all three fences); Coppola, 7; Kennedy, 6; Rogers, 5; Mitchell, 5; Davee, 4; Burke, 3; and McGuire, Rockland, 2.





Jr. High Division





The Ones That Make the Derby Happen